California entertainment blogger Greg Hernandez attended the TV Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena, where he ran into Victor Garber, who was there as part of a promotion of the new NBC drama, Deception. Hernandez turned to Wikipedia to bone up on Garber and learned that he had a partner of thirteen years, Rainer Andreesen. Hernandez also learned from Wikipedia that Garber would appear on Smash, only to unlearn it when Garber said, “Wikipedia is bullshit.” So no, he’s not going to be on Smash. But what about his partner?

So I got up, walked into the lobby of the Langham Huntington Hotel and found Garber. I just decided to ask him: “Wikipedia lists Rainer Andreesen as your partner. I wondered if that’s something that’s public, that you’ve confirmed.”

He seemed surprised by the question but said: ‘I don’t really talk about it but everybody knows.”

Garber then added: “He’s going to be out here with me for the SAG Awards.”

Wikipedia is still bullshit. They’ve actually been together for fourteen years.

Why does everyone hate Wikipedia so much? Everyone says it’s reliable but no one explains how it’s any more unreliable than anything else on the Internet. At the very least, their articles on homosexuality seem pretty decent.

Have YOU made an “It get’s Better” video? If so , good on you, if not, why should someone else make one if YOU won’t?

How “out” must one be to satisfy people? Does Garber have to wear an “I’m Gay!!” shirt everywhere or can his casual remarks about his partner be enough?

Personally, I’m kind of tired of this new Gay PC Police thing, with all these people telling other gay people how to “properly” be gay and out.

It is not p to us, any one of us, to decide for any other individual what, when or how it is appropriate to be “out”.

I did not like the religous right telling me how to be a good christian american anymore than I like you or others telling me what makes a person a “good” or “acceptable” gay. This is getting dangerously close to being AFA or NOM telling us exactly what we have to do in order to be acceptable to the American public…

So, now it’s bullying people into making anti-bullying videos to “prove” their gayness….If you don’t see the irony, then you are blind.

@Robert – Unfortunately, there is only one definition of “out,” at least as far as the press is concerned – you have to make an affirmative statement, it isn’t enough simply to live an honest, out life because the press still regards it as an insult to imply or state someone is gay or lesbian, no matter how out in their private life they may be. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is.

And it is incredibly disingenuous for people like Garber, or more pointedly Jodie Foster, to argue that they are already out, they just “don’t talk about it.” Well even the most private celebrities still acknowledge their wives/husbands if they are straight. Daniel Craig may refuse to answer questions about his marriage, but he doesn’t deny he is married or refuse to be photographed with her at public events. Now, it does appear Garber has been more open about his relationship than Foster was, but the principle is the same.

If you really want a definition of how “out” someone has to be to be far enough “out,” that might be a good measure. If the celebrity treats their private life in exactly the same way as a straight celebrity would in the same circumstances, then they are “out” enough.

Well that all might make sense if Jodi Foster had not already come out in 2007, and if Garber hadn’t already mentioned his partner and attends award shows with him as his date.

Jodi Foster has been private about EVERYTHING in her life, and if you read Jim’s article on her you would see she has good reason, not many people have someone try to kill a President for them, or track them down to their college home.

AND, it is NOT the press that’s dogging these people, it’s other gay people saying these people just are not out enough by their standards. Funny how we recently celebrated the fact that Kyle XY star Matt Dallas came out in a tweet announcing his engagement, Matt Boomer came out in a speech (just like Foster did in 2007) and Zachary QUinto came out subtly in a magazine interview. All three of those people were celebratede for their “casual” manner in comming out.

What we have here is a demand by average gays that gay celbrities come out when WE want them to, not when they feel it appropriate for their lives. I got to choose the timing when I came out, presumably most of us do. And I think it is a shame that so many gay people are now bullying people who do come out as not having doen it in the proper way. Your assertion that it’s “the media” is a false one. Unless tristram is a reporter in disguise, my post was in reply to an every day gay, not a person in the media. Foster has been out for at lest 5 years, Garber for longer. These are people who live their lives gay every day. Foster lived with her ex for years, driving matching cars and totting their kids around. Just an ordianry gay life, just like a lot of gay people, she lives her life and that’s the type of equality I have been fighting for for years.

It is morally unfair to call on people to come out for OUR reasons, and not allow them to come out for THEIR reasons. These gay actors are OUT, and it should not matter to you, or Tristram or anyone else how or why they are, it should suffice that they ARE.

@Robert – I did not say that anyone should be forced to do anything or that they should be disrespected (or be deemed a “bad gay”) if they chose to maintain whatever level of privacy they prefer. I said that ‘it would be great’ if celebrities with a national following and the ability to reach it via the media (and who happen to be gay) would do something to inspire and show their support for lgbt kids, many of whom still struggle desperately.

If that makes me a bullying, christianist, Gay PC policeman, so be it.

Jodi Foster is the largest contibutor to the Trevor Project in it’s entire history, one would think that would suffice. And to now claim you were not being a bully about your view, then why the quote marksed “glass closeted” crap? By any standards, Ms Foster and Mr. Garber were in fact “OUT” and NOT in a glass clsoet. Your statement certainly was not a supportive one, and I notice you don’t answer my question on if YOU made an “It Get’s Better” video. I always find it suspect when one suggests others do things they themselves don’t do. No, you are not a celbrity, but your own video could help someone too, in fact I think the videos made by non-famous individuals does more good than those by celebrities. It’s always more comforting to know regular ordinary individuals like ourselves are out there too. (and it is funny that you said you didn’t want them to use a megaphone, but then go on to sugest they do just that by making a video.).

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